5

6

As Brown writes: “When our self-worth isn’t on the line, we are far more willing to be courageous and risk sharing our raw talents and gifts.” One way to embrace creativity, Brown says, is to let go of comparison.

9

Vision, Uncertainty, and Knowledge of Materials are inevitabilities that all artists must acknowledge and learn from: vision is always ahead of execution, knowledge of materials is your contact with reality, and uncertainty is a virtue.

10

To the right mind, no time exists other than the present moment, and each moment is vibrant with sensation. Life or death occurs in the present moment. The experience of joy happens in the present moment. Our perception and experience of connection with something that is greater than ourselves occurs in the present moment. To our right mind, the moment of now is timeless and abundant.

12

Mistakes are lessons in disguise and accurate reflections of your true state. Maybe you need to slow down. Maybe your initial expectation was actually what was wrong. Maybe you need to draw more often.

An indulgence of creativity:

Every creative must indulge in themselves and their art, which of course, is one and the same. Never be afraid to be yourself and to share your work with the world. You’ll never get noticed waiting to get noticed. Raise your hand―then wave it like frigg’n crazy!

14

You write about things that matter to you, and I’m sure you hope those things will matter to others, but even if they don’t, you’re still going to do the work. That’s what artists do. It’s remarkable. But it’s more than that. It’s audacious.

18

Today’s challenge is to keep your focus and preserve the sanctity of mind required to create, and to ultimately make an impact in what matters most to you. This can only happen when you capitalize on the here and now. To do this, alternate periods of connectedness with periods of truly being present.

20

I use doodling for a variety of reasons: I use it to get clarity around a concept, I use it to relax, I use it to communicate ideas with others and get their refinement of them, I use it to map complex systems for companies, I use it to run innovation games for business, I use it to get insight on something puzzling me.

21

We are important and our lives are important, magnificent really, and their details are worthy to be recorded. This is how writers must think, this is how we must sit down with pen in hand. We were here; we are human beings; this is how we lived. Let it be known, the earth passed before us. Our details are important. Otherwise, if they are not, we can drop a bomb and it doesn’t matter. . .

26

Day one of our new adventure behind us, we are shocked to learn the hardest lesson of chasing a dream. When you go for it, you don’t escape fear, you land in it. Fear is not a dragon to be slain once, it’s an ocean to be swum daily.

27

This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.

28

Set yourself an idea quota for a challenge you are working on, such as five new ideas every day for a week. You’ll find the first five are the hardest, but these will quickly trigger other ideas. The more ideas you come up with, the greater your chances of coming up with a winner.

31

You are loved. Massively. Ferociously. Unconditionally. The Universe is totally freaking out about how awesome you are. It’s got you wrapped in a warm gorilla hug of adoration. It wants to give you everything you desire. It wants you to be happy. It wants you to see what it sees in you.

About Bryan Hutchinson

I'm a positive writer and when that doesn't work, I eat chocolate. I help fellow writers overcome doubt and thrive! In my free time, I love visiting castles with my wife, Joan. Join me on Twitter and Facebook.

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Like a good friend, Bryan guides you through the process of facing your inner demons, conquering the craft, and creating work that matters. ―Jeff Goins

Penny

Thanks so much for this list Bryan. I see several titles that I don’t know, but soon will! As a song writer, (and now a blogger) I have been reading and re-reading for years 2 of the books on your list- “The War of Art” and “Emerson’s Essential Essays” For me they are early morning devotional reading. Constant reminders of my unique abilities and the necessity of sharing them with an audience, no matter how big or how small-

Absolutely LOVE this list – wrote several of these down and will add to my Amazon wishlist. – I already have “How to Steal Like an Artist” in there, should probably move that up a few notches… Also, I have “Writing Down the Bones” and that is one of my very favorite books in my library. If you don’t have it, go get it – now. 🙂 Thank you for a wonderful list of creative resources – I need it more than my own skin at this point.

Great list, I have read a couple and another is already on my to read list. Looks like I need to add some more.

Judy Peterman Blackburn

I’ve only heard of two on the list and have read them both. The Art of Work by Jeff Goins, and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. I very much want to read some of the others here. I would also suggest another by Natalie, Wild Mind and my favorite, If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland. Thank you for a great list of reading. 🙂

I’m in the process of The Artists Way…. it has helped me define what I want to do for a living. The only question now is what to read next! Thank you so much for this amazing list.

Elena Tinga

Thank you so much for this list. The Artists Way is the only one I have read -and quite a few more that are not in your list. I love all books on creativity, but they are a little hard to access in my country.